Songwriter and Texas personality Kinky Friedman exhibited an unorthodox approach when discussing his campaign for Texas Agriculture Commissioner in the Democratic primary on Friday.

The 69-year-old leisurely chews on a cigar, cracks jokes, has no problem dropping an F-bomb and quotes Winston Churchill while clearly stating he supports the legalization and taxation of marijuana during an editorial board meeting at the El Paso Times.

Friedman said he doesn't smoke pot, unless it is with country music legend Willie Nelson, "and that is just Texas etiquette." He believes that Texas should legalize the drug and tax the sale of it in an attempt to lower property taxes, fund programs and hurt Mexican drug cartels.

"It's a non-binding referendum that if I were to win it would show that Texas is ready for it and could put some pressure on the legislature," said Friedman who has twice failed to be elected governor. "Hemp requires half the water that cotton does, it produces two and half times the fiber and it requires no pesticides. Zero. Cotton is using up 25 percent of the worlds pesticides."

Friedman met with the Westside Democrats and at 10 a.m. today he will speak at the Hilton Garden Inn for the opening of El Paso NORML, a chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

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Friedman is one of three running for the Democratic nomination to try to replace Todd Staples, who is running for Lieutenant Governor. Wintergarden Water Conservation District Commissioner Hugh Fitzsimons and Jim Hogan, a cattle farmer from South of Arlington, also are running for agriculture commissioner in the March 4 primary.

There are also five candidates in the Republican primary, two in the Libertarians race and one for the Green Party.

According to the Huffington Post, Fitzsimons and Hogan are not interested in debating marijuana. Hogan said he doesn't want to talk about it and Fitzsimons wants to focus on water, the Huffington Post reported.

But Friedman is not shying away from the controversial topic.

"I'm predicting that no republican or democrat will even mention legalizing pot or hemp," Friedman said. "They won't even speak against it. They've already been told by their parties don't even mention a word about it."

Legalization would turn hemp and marijuana into cash crops, while delivering a blow to Mexican cartels and a "failed" war on drugs, Friedman said.

In 2005 Friedman said he was the lone voice that supported gay marriage by saying "they have every right to be as miserable as the rest of us and I'm on record about that."

Friedman said it will only be a matter of time until more states legalize marijuana -- the same way states are allowing gay marriages.

"This is going to happen, it is going to be just like gay marriage. It's going to be a revolution and it is the right parade to jump in front of," Friedman said. "Maybe in 10-15 years, Texas will legalize marijuana and legalize gambling. By that time, we will be the caboose on the train. It won't mean anything. And for young people reading this, the caboose is the last cart on the train."